I'd like to begin this article by first clarifying I believe God. I believe Jesus was sent to die on the cross for our sins. I also believe in The Bible and it's teachings. I do not however believe in organized Christianity. I grew up attending a Baptist church and I enjoyed it. I would sit in Sunday school and listen to the teacher tell stories of Jesus, Mary, Moses, and Noah then I went to service and watched as the pastor preached with such passion. I found peace in this as a child.
As I grew older I began to hear the gossip within the pews every Sunday. Instead of rejoicing and celebrating the love of Jesus Christ the congregation was more concerned with weekly scandals or what certain people wore to the service. I listened more intently to my pastor's sermons and realized at times he was preaching hate. I watched as certain members of the church were judged and made to feel as if they weren't welcome because they sinned in what was concerned a less acceptable manner than others. I knew this was wrong because I read my Bible and knew what it said about sinners judging other sinners. Take for example Mathew 7:1-5, " Judge not that you will be judged. For with the same judgment you pronounce you will be judged and with the measure you use it shall be measured onto you. Why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye but pay no mind to the plank in your own? How can you say to your brother," Let me remove the speck from your eye." when all the time there is a plank in your own. You hypocrite, first take the plank from your own eye then you will see more clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.". For this reason I left the church and have not regretted my decision since.
Even after I chose this path there have still been times I've seen hypocrisy in members of organized religion. I've witnessed my own nana and uncle attend church, go on mission trips, and be considered prominent members of the church yet they have mistreated my mother, my brother and I the entire duration of my parents' marriage. They are also some of the most gossiping, judgmental people I have ever known.
The double standard from some of the church has become impossible to ignore due to a ranting judgmental Christian's best friend, Facebook. I can not begin to count the times I've been scrolling through my newsfeeds to see a man/woman of God bashing homosexuals, unwed mothers, celebrities, or any one else they feel they have a right to look down upon on. Christianity is supposed to be about love and forgiveness not hate and judgment. Mathew 22: 37-40 says, " Jesus said, " You shall love the Lord with all your heart, soul, and mind. This is the greatest and first commandment. The second is like it. Love your neighbor as you love yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on to these two commandments.". As Christians you can not just take pieces of the Bible you like and throw out the rest.
As children of God it is our job to spread the love of our savior and teach his word. We are supposed to help those who are lost not to condemn or look down upon them. It seems now days a vast array of us are appearing to others as nothing more than a hate group. Instead of being lead to the church more and more people, such as myself, are being driven out. I would like to be able to attend church and feel as I did when I was a child, at peace, but the way things are makes that impossible. I think Christians need to reevaluate our behavior and reread our Bibles so that we can better ourselves, become better people and spread the word of Jesus Christ. That us what Christianity is supposed to be.
